science ๐ฑ Poisonous plants might unlock next-gen medicine
Two highly toxic plants, larkspur and wolfsbane, may now have their medicinal properties synthesized in a lab for the first time. The breakthrough involved scientists from Michigan State University and the Czech Academy of Sciences. They identified pathways to produce diterpenoid alkaloids, a complex class of chemicals, after years of research. This discovery shows that natural plant chemistry can inspire next-generation drugs without purely synthetic inventions. The team successfully used tobacco plants to produce atisinium, opening new avenues for drug development. ๐ฌ